Al Jazeera Hires an Ex-Marine

[USMCRET6391]

Josh Rushing, former Marine captain and an accidental star of the movie Control Room made news of his own last week when he signed on to become the American face of the controversial Arab news network Al Jazeera-International. Top U.S. officials, including Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, have repeatedly complained that Al Jazeera's coverage is unfair or untrue. Yesterday, Rushing sat down with TIME for his first interview on why he took the job and what the new network will cover.

The 33-year old Rushing came to fame in Control Room, a movie critical of media coverage of the Iraq war as a military public affairs officer who increasingly questions how the war was being portrayed by the Pentagon. In the movie, Rushing is articulate and passionate in defending the troops and never directly criticizes the war. And his honesty draws viewers to his side—he describes his different reactions to seeing on Al Jazeera images of Iraqi casualties one evening and dead U.S. soldiers the next. "It upset me on a profound level that I wasn't bothered as much the night before," Rushing explains at one point in the movie. "It makes me hate war. But it doesn't make me believe we can live in a world without war yet." He admits—then and now—to being troubled by the "politicization" of the military command and what he describes as U.S. TV networks being "co-opted" by the Bush Administration.

One reason he wanted to leave the Marine Corps, says Rushing, is that his superior officers had forbidden him to speak to the press. He was torn between his loyalty to the Corps and his duty as a citizen. "I felt like I had a platform and something to say. I thought it would be a missed opportunity to say, take a public relations job in Houston, which I was about to do."

The journalists at Al Jazeera-International, says Rushing, are a mix of nationalities and most in the Washington Bureau come from established outlets like CNN, BBC, Britain's ITN and even Fox News. Rushing thinks that diversity will be part of Al Jazeera-International's appeal. "I'm an American and proud of it. If that affects my objectivity, then so be it," said Rushing.

Rushing will be based in Washington for Al Jazeera, which is backed by the government of Qatar and headquartered its the capital, Doha. Al Jazeera-International, which Rushing compares to the international versions of CNN and BBC, plans to start broadcasting in the U.S. in the spring of 2006. Rushing will likely do set pieces on issues, interviews and perhaps even have a 30-minute international affairs show. The format is still being finalized, but Rushing knows who he considers models: NBC's Tim Russert and Bob Costas, and National Public Radio's Terry Gross. The target audience, Rushing says (while recording our interview on his iPod) is global, English-speaking and owns iPods— people who have turned off the TV news in favor of the Internet.

Rushing says he looked into the accusations about Al Jazeera distorting the news, and found nothing to stop him from joining. "I'm not condoning everything they do but the Arab media is a key part of national security and how to deal with Arab world. The network has long been the only one in the region with a point-counterpoint approach, where many others are 'point-point-point.' Al Jazeera, for example regularly has Israeli spokespeople on." Rushing says the State Department and Pentagon have both shown interest in working with the new network.

Rushing thinks part of his mission is to educate the American public on the reality of war. "War in America has its own branding—it's the American flag, it's that Lee Greenwood song, it's a sailor kissing a woman in Times Square. But Americans need to be aware of the consequences."

Like it or not, "Al Jazeera is the most influential Arab voice outside of mosques. It is the largest shaper of ideology," says Rushing. And if American voices are not heard in that venue, then they have no chance of having virtually any influence. "I've dedicated my adult life to the health and security of the United States and to representing the best of American ideas. I will maintain my credibility by continuing to do that." Rushing may discover that being a Marine might have been the easy part.

[Grimmy]

"He admits—then and now—to being troubled by the "politicization" of the military command and what he describes as U.S. TV networks being "co-opted" by the Bush Administration."

huh?

most MSM have been "what ever the administration says, the opposite must, of course, be true" stance since a few weeks after 9/11.

[Ram0528]

Like it or not, "Al Jazeera is the most influential Arab voice outside of mosques. It is the largest shaper of ideology," says Rushing. And if American voices are not heard in that venue, then they have no chance of having virtually any influence.

This is about the only thing i agree w/.

I saw that documentary, i will admit it was interesting to see how they viewed the war.

[SGRock]

I don't like the term "Ex Marine" but in this case maybe we should use that phrase with this guy.

[SpongeJuan]

So you think he has done bad for working with the arab news?

[Ram0528]

I think that depends on how he is used & how he presents the 'western' POV.

[SGRock]

That is what I mean. If he is used as a "propaganda" tool, he is trash. If he actually promotes and lets the Arab world hear the American POV, that is good for all of us.

[SpongeJuan]

But they will probably edit what he says and make us look bad no mater what he says.

[SGRock]

and he will probably stay there on the payroll after they do it too

[SpongeJuan]

I guess

[Grimmy]

and that would make him a traitor.

[Vulture6]

Obviously a lot of emotional opinions about this guy, so I thought I'd post a recent editorial by him, published in this week's Marine Corps Times. Not agreeing or disagreeing with him at this point, but wanted everyone commenting on this to have information from the source, and at least get his point of view. Don't forget, al-Jazeera International has hired BBC veteran David Frost as it's anchor, so Mr. Rushing is not alone. We'll just have to wait and see if he is an unbiased commetator or starts every story with "As a former Marine Officer, I...."



From the Corps to al-Jazeera
Former PAO says he’s guided by values of honor, courage and commitment

By Josh Rushing


I am a Marine. I enlisted in 1990, was commissioned in 1999 and resigned last October. I am still a Marine. The core values forged in my heart from 14 years of wearing the eagle, globe and anchor are permanent.
Even now, as I have taken a position in the world of journalism, some would expect me to separate myself from my past as a nod to objectivity. However, I have stated in no uncertain terms to the national press that I have no intent of disavowing my public image as a Marine, discontinuing my private life as a devil dog or distancing myself from the institution and values I hold dear — honor, courage and commitment.

I have agreed to host a show on al-Jazeera International, a worldwide, English-language news network that will launch next spring and will have an independent editorial staff that will be separate from the Arabic-language al-Jazeera. Al-Jazeera International’s management, producers, editors and on-air talent come from venerable news channels such ABC, BBC, CNN, APTV and even Fox News. You may find this surprising, but no one in the news industry does.

The network’s launch is one of the most exciting and anticipated ventures to occur in the news industry in a long time. Broadcasts from the West have an almost myopically Western perspective. Al-Jazeera International, by comparison, will have a global perspective. Rather than one broadcast center, our network will have four: London; Doha, Qatar; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and Washington. Each location will be responsible for roughly a quarter of the day’s programming. As the sun circles the Earth, so does coverage of a story. You’ll be able to watch the flavor of a story change as it is broadcast from four continents with four cultures and four perspectives in a 24-hour period.

Marines know better than most that our neighboring oceans no longer protect and separate us from the rest of the world. The first brick from that wall of isolationist thinking fell on Sept. 11, 2001. Our way of life is and will continue to be affected by other cultures. We are in a war on terrorism, and Iraq is a battle in that greater war. With a new kind of warfare, new kinds of battlefields emerge. In the information age, information is part of the battle. If 19 guys with little more than ideology and box cutters can bring about the events of Sept. 11, then we, America, must engage that ideology — and it won’t be found between your iron sites. It exists in coffee shops, madrassas and, most prevalently, in the media.

We must engage cultural ideologies wherever we can. I am lucky enough to have been given the opportunity and responsibility to fight this good fight on the Iwo Jima of information battlefields. The Arabic al-Jazeera is the world’s most influential media brand (according to 2005 “Brandchannel,” by Interbrand, a global branding consultancy). Al-Jazeera International will attract a large audience curious about the U.S. public-diplomacy message, and when the network launches in every major region of the world, I hope to be that messenger.

Al-Jazeera: The straight scoop

If we’re all honest with ourselves, how much do we really know about the Arabic Al-Jazeera and what it reports? Probably only what you’ve heard from the U.S. press. Here’s the straight scoop: It does not, nor has it ever, shown a beheading.

Al-Jazeera does receive tapes from Osama Bin Laden and his ilk. Just as the BBC received tapes from the Irish Republican Army, or as ABC has recently received and aired tapes from American al-Qaida operatives. These tapes are news, and al-Jazeera shows only what it considers newsworthy. It does not show every tape, nor does it show the entire tape. And to many, airing these tapes illustrates the foolishness of al-Qaida, exposing its flawed philosophy to critical debate.

Al-Jazeera has aired opinions that criticize the United States and what we’re doing in Iraq. This is not an uncommon opinion in its broadcast region. Al-Jazeera is banned from a number of Middle Eastern countries for giving officials from Israel airtime, a first for news in the region. It has given airtime to senior officials from the U.S. government, including President Bush; Cabinet secretaries Condoleezza Rice, Colin Powell and Donald Rumsfeld; Air Force Gen. Richard Myers; and others. Al-Jazeera also broadcast the full congressional hearings about Abu Ghraib, demonstrating to the region the novel concept of government accountability.

Having said that, al-Jazeera International is a completely different and independent network from the Arabic al-Jazeera described above. Al-Jazeera International will be transparent; we will broadcast strictly in English. No more guessing. You will be able to see, hear and understand everything said on air.

My de